DCC Adrian Whiting, pictured below, said the Royal Navy was on stand-by ‘right from the start’ and praised the work undertaken in Dorset.

He said G4S was expected to reimburse the Ministry of Defence for the cost of extra staff from the military.

DCC Whiting said: “The shortfall in G4S guarding meant the Armed Forces got called in to provide cover in Dorset.

“Where some of the security guards were supposed to be on the water at the marina entrances, we undertook that for a while, simply by using the officers we had on patrol on the water until G4S were able to get staff to perform that job.”

G4S subcontracted to other security companies for some of the specialist work.

DCC Whiting said: “As soon as they confirmed they were able to pay them, the other guards did the work.

“My understanding is that G4S will reimburse the Ministry of Defence for the cost of extra military staff.”

Between July 6 and 21, the guards reporting for duty, of those expected at the Sailing academy, at the Olympic sailing village ranged from a low of 42 per cent to 85 per cent at best.

After July 21, this percentage rose to between 80 and 95 per cent.

DCC Whiting praised the Marines and also praised the G4S guards who wor-ked in Dorset, some for up to 18 months before the Games, as ‘very good security guards’.

He added: “I think the shortfall occurred bec-ause of dislocations in G4S telling guards their contracts were going to continue into the Games.